WORLDTEMPUS - 28 March 2012
Miguel Seabra
On the second to last day of Baselworld, a freak accident in a Swiss tunnel put a tragic end to a holiday trip for Belgian students. Even if Belgium and Switzerland were bonded by this tragedy – which was an extreme topic of all conversation the following day at the fair, not in great part due to the clogged highways in and around Basel – there were happier liaisons to be found at the biggest watch trade fair in the world. Some Belgian brands exhibiting showcased quite interesting products indeed.
Belgium certainly has its renowned chocolate-making industry in common with Switzerland. In the watchmaking department, however, they are far from being at the same level – even if we note that Hubert Sarton, a master watchmaker from Liège, is considered by some to be the father of the automatic movement, patenting a self-winding mechanism in 1778. Among the hundreds of exhibitors at Baselworld, two Belgian brands caught my attention: Raidillon, already ten years in existence, in addition to the most recent, Ressence. One is all about racing, while the other exudes a poetic minimalism.
Racing spirit
Being a big aficionado of the Heuer period that produced amazing sports chronographs from the late 1950s all the way until the 1970s under the helm of Jack Heuer, I couldn't help but notice the casual chic elegance radiated by Raidillon's collection: lots of chronographs, great use of colors, attractive leather bracelets. The brand, founded in 2002 by Bernard Julémont and under the direction of Fabien de Schaetzen as general manager, is named after one of the most famous and daunting curves in motorsports: a fast uphill sweep on the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The collection is inspired by classic racing spirit and is powered by Swiss ETA calibers, interestingly comprising mostly affordable chronographs. I especially like the Automatique Jauge model with a second time zone and power reserve indicator.
Most watches are 42 mm chronographs costing between 2,300 and 2,800 Euro in limited editions of just 55 pieces – 55 being the maximum number of cars allowed on the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack back in the day. The new Design collection, with its galvanically colored dials, has a different aura than the other lines. This brand also excels in the leather department with beautifully styled straps manufactured in Belgium: each strap is hand-stitched and has curved ends to better fit the round cases. There are also vintage-styled accessories like helmets and footwear that can be found in the brand's boutique at Brussels' Galerie de la Reine. It is indeed a boutique brand, though it is beginning to channel its watches through international distribution as well.
Time on a platform
The other Belgian brand has gathered a lot of attention lately among purist watch aficionados as well as a lot of critical praise from tastemakers: conceived by industrial designer Benoît Mintiens, it claims to be a contemporary evolution of analogue time representation. Hours, minutes, seconds and power reserve are displayed by a flush mounted revolving dial in a way that avoids superimposed information thanks to a patented module working upon an automatic ETA caliber.
The pure, minimalistic Type 1001 through 1005 timepieces look timeless – and good. But there's something else on the way: at Baselworld, a Ressence concept watch was unveiled under the table that integrates the dial platform into the domed crystal. The crown thus moves to the bottom part of the case, which can be rotated to set the time and wind the mechanism. The dial is filled with liquid and the visual effect is stunning.
Yes, Belgium can also produce fine timepieces!
